Hemorheology, the study of the flow properties of blood, has great potential for early detection or diagnosis of many illnesses, such as thromboembolisms, stroke, hyperocoagulability syndromes and blood diseases like sickle cell anemia. However, it is broadly recognized that ex vivo examination of human hemorheology, e.g., by studying blood samples, provides only limited data and typically cannot accurately characterize in vivo human circulatory conditions. Likewise, in-situ, non-invasive measurements of human hemorheology also pose challenges in accurately describing the rheological parameters of blood flow. For example, in vivo imaging is hindered by difficulties in tissue accessibility and mechanistic validity of the technology.
Ideally, hemorheological imaging should be conducted on tissue sources representative of critical organ systems, e.g., the human brain, in a manner whereby microvascular arteriolar and venular networks can be accessible within a transparent medium to allow non-invasive in vivo imaging. There exists a need for better methods and apparatus for conducting such imaging and for translating acquired image data into hemorheological measurements that can predict or diagnose thromboses, blood disorders and the like.